Remembrance
by The Lady Snape
Summary: In response to Nagini's Odd Pairing challenge at The Dark Mark. Minerva McGonagall wakes from a nightmare. What if it was something more ? After all she went to school with Tom Riddle. Is there more to an animagus and a maniacal Dark Lord ?
1. Chapter 1

" _Come with me, Minnie, my luve. Together the two of us can rule over the darkest night. Say yes. I luve you, you know that. Come away with me and you shall become my queen, The Dark Lady."_ _The black-haired witch just stared at him. _She _took a step back from him as a look of horror crossed her face. _

" _I can't. " Tears sprang unbidden to her emerald eyes as she realized that her boyfriend was not who he was supposed to be anymore. " No, Tom. You're going down a road, that I can not possibly follow. I'm sorry." Dark brown eyes burned angrily. _

" _Silly little girl," He sneered. " A year ago you would have been at my side in a heart beat. Something has happened to change your opinion of me. What is it, Minerva ? I thought you luved me, too."_

" _Luve is not something to be bandied about. I did luve you, Tom. But . . . " _

" _There's someone else isn't there ? " The sneer deepened, twisting what was a handsome visage into something truly frightening. _

"_I'm, I'm sorry Tom, but, my answer is still no. Good bye." She whispered, turning to go, blinking back tears. A shriek escaped her as she was spun around. His hand encircled her wrist like a vice_ _as Minerva McGonagall was forced to face Tom Riddle._

" _You are mine, Minerva. You always will be." His face came closer. She recoiled in fear, breaking free of his grasp. With no thought in her head, but, safety she fled towards the castle. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see that her boyfriend was in hot pursuit._

_The frightened witch burst through the castle doors. Her emerald green eyes searched the surprisingly empty entrance hall._ _Surely someone would be here to bear witness to this debacle. No one. __She sprinted through hall way after hall way, her wand out, muttering unlocking charms before her, locking charms behind her. Finally she reached her destination, the Head Girl's rooms, her room._ _Surely, Tom wasn't deluisional enough to think that he could enter Gryffindor House. Was he ? _

_Panting from exertion, Minerva collapsed onto her bed. She sat upright and shot a locking spell, the strongest she could think of, at the door._ _Better safe than sorry. Minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, she allowed her tense body to slump to the mattress in relief, tears flowing freely down her face. Tom Riddle had from the start told her of his plans for world domination. They had formed a tenuous friendship aboard the Express back in first year. But, as they began to mature, they grew apart. Then, when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, she turned to him for comfort and nature took its course. Now, she was just doomed by her idiocy. True, the boy was handsome. But, since when was a handsome face ever enough to turn her head away from a book and her studies ? _

" _Why did you run, my luve? You could have said, yes. How hard is it ? You'll always belong to me. There is no where you cannot go that I won't follow." He was right outside the door._ _Did the alarms go off ? If so, where was Albus ? _

_The door behind her exploded, showering her in splinters. The force threw her from her bed and onto the cold stone floor. Sitting up, she drew a hand to her forehead. She could feel the stream of blood pouring forth. Looking up, emerald eyes met dark burning fires. __He had gained entrance to her room, to Gryffindor Tower. _

_Tom crouched down, grabbing her wrist and hauled her to her feet. Trying to jerk it away from him proved futile. He only increased the pressure. _

" _Your, You're hurting me ! " She cried. He just laughed. _

" _You think I care ? I don't. You will learn, no one turns Thomas Marvolo Riddle down ! " He promptly back handed her across the face. The force snapped her head back. She went limp in his arms. He started laughing, softly at first before rising louder, the sound resonating around the room evilly._

She woke up, a scream lodged in her throat. Her hand trembling, Professor Minerva McGonagall reached for her wand.

" Tempus." Light red smoke rose from her wand revealing that it was nearly three in the morning. Sighing, she collapsed back against the pillows. A glance towards the other side of the bed revealed that it was still empty. A slight frown marred her face. _Hopefully nothing was wrong. Usually, he was asleep at her side at this odd hour. _Since he wasn't here, the Transfiguration Mistress rose from her bed and slipped into her dressing gown. Gently, she tugged the black braid free from the plain, white muslin. _Classes were tomorrow, eight thirty sharp, and it certainly would not do for the students to see me half asleep. What would they say if they saw me lose my stern facade for even a second? _The reputation that she had built up pain-stakingly, year by year, would disappear into thin air in a single moment.

Eying the tall stack of Transfiguration essays on her neat desk, half of them with a Dreadful or at least a Poor, she felt that would throw up if she had to read one more messy, cramped word, or one more paragraph. No, marking papers were definitely not conducive to achieving tranquility. _I could always transform and prowl about the corridors. _A frown appeared as she remembered the last time she did _that. Mrs. Norris had chased her around half the castle, finally forcing her to flee for safety. Which she had found in Gryffindor Tower. _Shaking her head at the memorya thought struck her. _Tea and shortbread. Possibly a snack could calm my nerves. _

Pointing her wand at the fireplace she muttered,

" Incendio. " The smoldering embers leapt to life as fiery tongues consumed what wood was still in the grate. Gathering a porcelain rose patterned tea pot she filled it with her usual tea leaves and water from the tap in the loo. Tapping her wand on the tea pot, she heated the water. While the tea steeped, she accioed the tin of shortbread from her desk in her office. Grabbing her water glass from the night stand, Professor McGonagall transfigured it into a dainty tea cup in the same pattern as the pot. Settling down on the sofa with the tea spread, the Transfiguration Mistress poured herself a soothing cup of the valerian-laced blend of spices and sweet oranges. Retrieving a shortbread, she took a sip and slowly began to relax. The dancing flames caught her eye. A sigh escaped her. _The last time I was up this late was because of Tom Riddle. _As she stared at the fire, cupping the mug in both hands, she let the past wash over again.


	2. Chapter 2

" _Hey, McGonagall ! " Tom Riddle? What's he want? A group of fifth years glared at me as he rushed up, out of breath, chest heaving under his school uniform. I couldn't help feeling an unsettling, but, not unwelcome jolt as he pushed his black hair out of his stormy grey eyes. I had never really felt anything for anyone except . . . No, I must not think it. It would be passing certain boundaries that shouldn't be passed. _

" _Yes, Tom ? " Something appeared to spark inside him at the use of his first name. _

_"Minerva." Tom, having caught his breath, snaked an arm about my shoulders, drawing me further down the corridor. " How are you ? " He asked calmly, as if we're life-long friends._

" _Um . . . " Great, great response, Min. " Okay. "  
He led me down towards the Transfiguration classroom._

" _Looking forward to the Animagi course? " That grabbed my attention. _

" _What ? " He laughed. _

" _Minerva, you're sweet when you play daft, but it's too obvious. Everyone knows you'll be picked for the course this year."  
" Don't patronize me, Tom. " Just because my heart is beating practically out of my chest doesn't mean I'm going to let him walk all over me. " I don't know what you're talking about. "  
" Really ? And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. "  
" __**Tom . **__. . " _

" _Maybe we could discuss it somewhere less public ? " He paused, turning to face me. " Hogsmeade, perhaps ? Next weekend? The Hog's Head ? " All this attention from a Slytherin was a bit unsettling. After all Tom Riddle was __interesting, but, I was still a bit scared.  
" I'm not sure, Tom. " Part of me wanted to say yes, the other part no. __What should I do , after all he was a Slytherin !?! OK, Minni, my girl. Calm down. Deep breaths. I glanced up at the door we were in front of. A smile crossed my face. Professor Dumbledore's office. _

_Tom noticed my relief. _

" _Ah. " He moved closer to me, his face mere inches from mine. My breath hitched in my throat. A giggle sounded. I looked towards the source. A group of older girls were gossiping a few feet away from us, obviously they were waiting for him to kiss me._

" _Umm . . . " Brilliant, Einstein. _

" _Minerva, " His voice, silky and low wrapped itself about me. My breath caught in my throat. I looked up into those stormy eyes. Slowly, they dropped to my trembling lips. Unconsciously, they parted. My tongue darted out to moisten suddenly dry lips. His eyes ate up the movement. _

" _Mr. Riddle. Miss McGonagall, " A vice sounded interrupting the interlude. " I do believe that lunch is currently being served in the Great Hall. " Those soft blue eyes usually twinkled behind his half moon spectacles. _

_At the moment, they were not. There seemed to be a note of sad disappointment in them when he laced at me. Realizing I was still within the Slytherin's arms, I quickly drew away. _

" _Yes, sir, " I acquiesced. I could sense he was disappointed. That he didn't approve of me with a Slytherin. This Slytherin especially. _

" _Very well, then. Thank you, sir, " Tom Riddle acknowledged the professor's authority. But, there was an undercurrent of animosity within his voice. I let the Transfiguration Professor lead me away from Tom Riddle towards the Great Hall. _

" _Hello, Miss McGonagall, " He said, hoping to cover his breathlessness by playing nervous. My lips pursed as my face tightened, but my eyes didn't betray how I really felt._

" _Lord Riddle ? " I asked politely. He nodded, grabbing my hand._

" _Shouldn't you be in Defense right now ? " I asked, gathering a few books off the deputy headmaster's desk. He shrugged._

"_There's a passage right by the samurai armor. It's a slide-sort of thing. Takes you right outside the Defense classrooms." I raised an eyebrow at that. Then, filed it away for future reference. _

" _Oh ? " I asked, turning back towards the desk, just as Tom came to stand by my left, " I haven't heard of it."_

" _Yes. " He said, his face now inches away from mine. _

" _It's almost as exciting as being with you." A charming grin spread across his lips. I couldn't believe it ! Was this snake trying to charm a kiss out of me ? He leaned closer, his lips mere centimeters away. Next thing I knew his lips were upon mine. My first instinct was defense. I let him have it. Hauling my palm back I smacked his cheek. He recoiled, holding his now stinging cheek. _

" _How dare you!!! One day I will be the greatest wizard EVER! How dare you slap me!!! " I did my best not to laugh. Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard ever. A little biased, aren't we Minni, my girl ? Shut up, I told myself. " I, " He said in a low whisper, " Am Lord Voldemort, and soon people won't even dare to say my name. I will be He-who-must-not-be-named, the most powerful wizard ever! " He grabbed my wrist._

" _MR. RIDDLE!!! " Tom jumped back, releasing his hold on me. Professor Albus Dumbledore, returning to his classroom to retrieve his reading glasses, was standing in the doorway, wand at the ready._

"_Mr. Riddle, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to leave this instant. If I ever see such improper_ _behavior, I will be forced to send you to the Headmaster." Tom nodded, not looking at all apologetic, left sulking._

_But I found my voice,_

" _He-who-must-not-be-named, Tom ? Funny, I'll always think of you as He-who-got-slapped. " Tom, red-faced, marched out of the classroom, scowling at the both of us before disappearing._

_Professor Dumbledore paused a moment. The conversation replayed itself in his mind. A hearty chuckle escaped him. Tom, furious and shocked, stepped onto the stairs as my laughter joined the Professor's._

_The corridors, for once, were silent as we walked through them. There was nobody to catch, no lovestruck couples in the Astronomy Tower, no mischief-maker in any deserted classroom, and no hungry soul in the kitchen. Occasionally, we would meet a teacher or a ghost, but no more than a curt nod was exchanged before the other person hurried off. _

_We passed by a wall, still gleaming darkly with the red words that had been painted on barely a day ago, and my shoulders trembled as I read and re-read the warning on the wall. That particular corridor was dimly lit, and the words caught the flickering flames of the torches on the opposite wall. They glimmered as if they were still wet. The words looked as if they had been written in blood._

" _Come on, Minerva, we haven't got all night, " Tom said behind me. At the sight before us, I could hear his breath caught in his throat. " That was written after your fellow Gryffindor Rose Weasley was petrified, yesterday, I think. The Bloody Baron saw it and alerted the Headmaster. " His voice was mild, betraying no emotion, whatsoever._

" _Aren't you frightened at all, Tom ? Knowing that all of us are at risk ? The Chamber has been opened, aren't you just a bit scared? " I looked up into those stormy eyes. _

_He laughed, a low, dark, rich sound, that made my breath catch in my throat._

" _Frightened ? No, I can safely say that I am not frightened at all. " Suddenly he looked down at me, trapping me within those strangely beautiful eyes . " Why, are you afraid ? " _

_My knees were shaking so badly, I had to lean on the wall for support. " Oh, Tom, you have no idea how frightened I am. Rose, she was ju, just fine the day before, now she's in the hospital wing! " Unconsciously I buried My face into Tom's shoulder. His arm wrapped about me. I let him hold me. I took comfort from his embrace. I felt that he would protect me from whatever it was that was wreain this havoc through the castle. Then a long fore-finger hooked itself under my chin, raising my tear filled emerald eyes to his. _

" _You have nothing to worry about, Minerva. After all, you are a pureblood witch, " Tom told me. Then those beautiful eyes dropped to my parted lips. His head lowered. My breath began coming out in pants. Was he actually going to kiss me this time ? My eyes closed of their own accord. His lips met mine, slightly cool, but, smooth, firm. His arms wound about me as his tongue lapped at my lower lip. A moan escaped me, parting my lips even further. He took it as an invitation. Slowly, his tongue slipped past my now pliant lips. At the feel of his tongue upon mine, I went up in flames. _

_Eventually we broke apart. I smiled shyly up at him._

" _I dare not ask why that just happened. " My voice was husky and low from being kissed quite properly. " But, can I safely assume that things will be different from now on? "_

"_Yes," Tom answered. "Things will definitely be different."_

_Later, a Ravenclaw named Myrtle died, but, I was too caught up in my new-found romance to really notice or care. Nor did I suspect anything remiss when Tom found out that Hagrid was supposedly behind it all. _


	3. Chapter 3

"_Minnie McGonagall, fancy seeing __**you**__ here," a silky voice whispered from the shadows._

_I jumped in surprise and gaped openly at the approaching figure, a tall thin boy with a handsomely chiseled face and fine grey eyes that seemed to know exactly what you were thinking at all times. Some called him dreamy. There were some that thought he was a bit creepy. I just thought _

_of him as my boyfriend._

"_My name is_ _**Minerva **__and I am Head Girl, as you are Head Boy," I said primly, getting over her initial shock. Her voice sounded stronger than she felt. Tom Riddle, the boy in question, seemed to know this. He smirked down at me, amusement lighting his eyes._

"_Only the fist day of school, Minnie dearest, and already moving in for extra points, are we?" He sneered. I glared up at him, her soft blue eyes smouldering in fury._

" _What the bloody hell are you talking about ? " I asked, a hint of steel evident within her voice._ _His silvery orbs seemed to probe mine. Was he a legilimens ? Two can play at that game. He burst out laughing. A scowl marred my lips as I folded my arms across my chest in anger._

" _Just what do __**you**__ find so funny, __**Riddle **__? " _

" _Riddle, is it ? " He gazed down at me amused. " Just last night, it was Tom. " I shut my eyes at that as images from last night assaulted me. Him taking me down to his room in Slytherin House, His lips on my neck as his hands roved over my body. His voice in my ear. _

" _You, you are aware, " My voice trembled a little before my mind came back on track to what had risen my ire in the first place. " That there is a whole set of corridors going unattended at the moment because you are at the wrong side of the school," she said stiffly. He stopped laughing and smirked again._

"_You are quite right, Minni, my luve, I am a _

_legilimens. Clearly, I underestimated you. " He paused for a moment._

"_You__** do**__ underestimate me, Tom," I said, frost tinging my voice, " Just as you underestimate countless others. " _

" _No," He interrupted_, _" I don't underestimate others. I may overestimate them at times_. _But you…" Trailing off, he gazed down at me thoughtfully. _

" _I'm what ? " I asked. _

" _You are a law unto yourself, a force to be reckoned with. and, " He licked his lips. I nearly had to close my eyes as I remembered it last night against my skin. " I'm sorry." I raised an eyebrow at this._

" _And what is it you are sorry for ? " I questioned. _

" _You don't make anything easy, do you, Min? " He Said, shaking his head. " I'm sorry for insinuating that you were trying to use your womanly wiles on Professor Dumbledore to gain extra House points for _

_Gryffindor. "_

" _Thank you, Tom. " He watched my face carefully smiling_.

" Everything forgiven ? "

" _Almost, " I answered. _

" _Almost ? " He asked. " What do you want me to do, get down on my knees and beg ? That I will not do for any_

_one. " _

" _Really, Tom, " I snorted. " Don't you have corridors that need to be patrolled ? " _

" _You are a heartless woman, my luve, " Tom Riddle sighed. " Give me a kiss to sustain me ? " Laughing, I turned my face up to his. _

" _Very well, " I sighed. " If I must." Our lips met in a sweet kiss. But, I never really let that insult pass. _

" _Come with me, Minnie, my luve. Together the two of us can rule over the darkest night. Say yes. I luve you, you know that. Come away with me and you shall become my queen, The Dark Lady."_ _The black-haired witch just stared at him. _I _took a step back from him as a look of horror crossed my face. _

" _I can't. " Tears sprang unbidden to my soft blue eyes as I realized that my boyfriend was not whom he was supposed to be anymore. "No, Tom. You're going down a road, that I can not possibly follow. I'm sorry." Dark brown eyes burned angrily. _

" _Silly little girl," He sneered. " A year ago you would have been at my side in a heart beat. Something has happened to change your opinion of me. What is it, Minerva ? I thought you luved me, too."_

" _Luve is not something to be bandied about. I did luve you, Tom. But . . . " _

" _There's someone else isn't there ? " The sneer deepened, twisting what was a handsome visage into something truly frightening. _

"_I'm, I'm sorry Tom, but, my answer is still no. Good bye." I whispered, turning to go, blinking back tears. A shriek escaped me as I was spun around. His hand encircled my wrist like a vice_ _as I, Minerva McGonagall, was forced to face Tom Riddle ._

" _You are mine, Minerva. You always will be." His face came closer. I recoiled in fear, breaking free of his grasp. With no thought in my head, but, safety I fled towards the castle. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see that my boyfriend was in hot pursuit._

_The frightened witch burst through the castle doors. My soft blue eyes searched the surprisingly empty entrance hall._ _Surely someone would be here to bear witness to this debacle. No one. _I_ sprinted through hall way after hall way, my wand out, muttering unlocking charms before me, locking charms behind me. Finally I reached my destination, the Head Girl's rooms, my room._ _Surely, Tom wasn't deluisional enough to think that he could enter Gryffindor House. Was he ? _

_Panting from exertion, I collapsed onto my bed. I sat upright and shot a locking spell, the strongest I could think of, at the door._ _Better safe than sorry. Minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, I allowed my tense body to slump to the mattress in relief, tears flowing freely down my face. Tom Riddle had from the start told me of his plans for world domination. We had formed a tenuous friendship aboard the Express back in first year. But, as we began to mature, we grew apart. Then, when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, I turned to him for comfort and nature took its course. Now, I was just doomed by my own idiocy. True, the boy was handsome. But, since when was a handsome face ever enough to turn myhead away from a book and my studies ? _

" _Why did you run, my luve? You could have said, yes. How hard is it ? You'll always belong to me. There is no where you cannot go that I won't follow." He was right outside the door._ _Did the alarms go off ? If so, where was Albus ? _

_The door behind me exploded, showering me in splinters. The force threw me from my bed and onto the cold stone floor. Sitting up, I drew a hand to my forehead. I could feel the stream of blood pouring forth. Looking up, soft blue eyes met dark burning fires. __He had gained entrance to my room, to Gryffindor Tower. _

_Tom crouched down, grabbing my wrist and hauled me to my feet. Trying to jerk it away from him proved futile. He only increased the pressure. _

" _Your, You're hurting me ! " I cried. He just laughed. _

" _You think I care ? I don't. You will learn, no one turns Thomas Marvolo Riddle down ! " He promptly back handed me across the face. The force snapped my head back. I went limp in his arms. He started laughing, softly at first before rising louder, the sound resonating around the room evilly._

_From the ruined doorway the red light of a spell flashed across the room to catch him squarely in the chest, throwing him across the room. Its caster, none other than Albus Dumbledore, her Transfiguration Professor, crossed the room to catch the unsuspecting boy before he could escape. With one hand the auburn haired man pinned Tom to the wall by the throat, wand pointing threateningly in his face._

" _All right, Albus, you can let him go, " The soft voice of Cuthbert Binns sounded. _

_Professor Henry James Potter, the Defense against the Dark Arts Professor, and the quite corporeal History professor grabbed Tom Riddle's arms. _

" _We'll take him to Headmaster Dippet, " Proffesoor Potter offered. _

_As Tom Riddle was escorted out of the Head Girl's room Professor Albus Dumbledore turned towards me. Praying to the heavens and all the gods _

_that inhabited it, he rushed me to the hospital wing. _

_Upon awakening, I discovered that Tom Riddle was no longer Head Boy. The Headmaster had not expelled him for what he had done to me. But, Professor Dumbledore made sure that I was never left alone with the boy from then on. _


	4. Chapter 4

_I had just come back from Hogsmeade, where I had been running errands for Headmaster Dumbledore. It was a cold winter's day, I shivered, drawing my emerald cloak closer about myself. A shake of my head sent snow flying in every single direction. _

" _Minerva ? " A shockingly familiar voice called. But it was subtly different now, higher and colder. I drew in a deep breath._

"_Tom ? Is that you ? " In the darkness all I could see a flowing black cloak, but, as the tall, slender figure approached, a gasp escaped me. It was him ! _

"_What have you done to yourself ? " Where was the Tom Riddle I once knew? I once luved ? " What the hell did you do ? " _

_He merely laughed. With a sinking feeling, I realized that even his laughter had changed. _

" _I have pushed the boundaries of magic to limits further than anyone has ever done, Minerva." He flicked his wand at a nearby heap of snow. It immediately exploded, melting. I simply stared at him. " I have not changed, Min. I still want you. Will you agree to be my queen, now ? " No, a thousand times no. _

" _I cannot. It looks like there is nothing left for me to truly love." Not after all this._

" _There is someone else, isn't there ? " A feeling of deja vu washed over me. _

" _No, " I stated emphatically. " There is not. There is no one in my life at the moment. Not that, that is any of your concern, Lord Riddle. " His eyes hardened. _

"_Very well, then." Suddenly Tom pulled me into his arms for a brief, burning kiss, slipping his slender hand into my dark tresses. Abruptly he stepped back. _

"_Goodbye, Minerva." Sweeping past me, he slammed the Great Oaken doors as he walked into the castle, never turning back once. Later, I heard from the headmaster that he had come to seek the Defence against the Dark Arts position, but, that Albus had refused him._

A popping noise broke the silence, bringing the reflective witch back to the present. Looking down into the cup, Minerva realized that the tea had grown cold. _What time was it ? _She wondered. Her gaze sought the bed. Then, a smile spread across her face, softening her features. _He was back. _Slowly, so as not to awaken him, she approached the bed silently. Looking down into the face that Time had wrought changes to she realized that she had always luved him.

Soft pink rays began to fill the room, bathing the couple in its rosy glow. Entranced, Minerva approached the large casement that overlooked the Loch Dubh. Ever so slowly, light began to fill the sky. The rosy light began to fade to a soft warm peach. Watching the lightening sky, Minerva felt strong solid arms encircle her waist. She leaned back into the comfort of his arms, his embrace.

" Are you all right, my dear ? " He spoke softly in her ear. As usual, the feel of his breath upon her neck started something burning low inside her.

" I think the question is, are** you** all right ? " As the encroaching light announced Aurora's presence Minerva turned in her luver's arms.

" I am fine, Minerva. However, I fear that Severus is not. " What was left unspoken filled the room with its ugly presence.

" I see. I'm sorry. " She hung her head, trying to hide the tears that filled her soft blue eyes. He hooked a finger under her chin, raising soft blue eyes to twinkling, bright, topaz blue eyes.

" It is the choices we make Minerva that define us. Severus has chosen his. As have you. There is always the easy way or the right way, " He said softly. The words infused her with courage.

" I luve you, Albus. I think I always have, " She finally voiced what she had never had the courage to really say before.

" Always ? " He asked, staring down at the beautiful witch in his arms.

" Always, " Professor Minerva McGonagall vowed. Then, with Aurora's presence filling the room, Albus lowered his head, capturing the Transfiguration Mistress' lips with his.


End file.
